England duo dominate at Lord's

Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad took their epic eighth-wicket stand to 298 on the third morning of the fourth npower Test at Lord's.

England's two centurions were therefore within 15 runs of the highest partnership for the wicket in the history of Test cricket as the hosts moved from 346 to 400 for seven after an hour's play.

Having revived England from deeply unpromising beginnings yesterday, Trott (167no) and Broad (154no) were able to milk more runs from a dispirited Pakistan attack as Lord's reverted to its habitual flatness under sunny skies.

Trott continued where he left off yesterday and a second Test double-century of the summer for him at HQ began to look a probability. Should he achieve the feat, the South Africa-born batsman will be the first ever to do so.

Broad, dropped at slip last night, had another moment of fortune when a thin edge behind off Saeed Ajmal on 132 was not held by Kamran Akmal.

Otherwise, there was a seamlessness about a stand which was threatening to rewrite the record books - and bat Pakistan out of a match they must win to snatch a 2-2 series draw.

That prospect was becoming ever more distant, England having recovered so handsomely from yesterday's 47 for five to post a par total on a batsman's pitch.

With precious time also taken out of the match by a near washout on the first day, England appeared to have their opponents covered at every turn.

Broad emphasised the point with two crunching off-side drives off consecutive Mohammad Asif deliveries, the first to bring up his 150 from 273 balls and the second for his team's 400.